


Family Affairs

by Tinybelieverbug



Category: Arthur Christmas (2011)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arthur gets a family, Arthur gets a last name, Arthur is Gay (Arthur Christmas), Arthur runs away AU, Gen, I will make that tag mainstream in the fandom if it's the last thing I do, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:55:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28122723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tinybelieverbug/pseuds/Tinybelieverbug
Summary: While Arthur, Grandsanta, and Bryony, are on Cuba, something happens. Arthur blows.He leaves.Four years later, he's found again.
Relationships: Arthur (Arthur Christmas) & Steve (Arthur Christmas)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 15





	1. Farewell

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [New Start](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13151010) by [MandolinDoodler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MandolinDoodler/pseuds/MandolinDoodler). 



> I read New Start a while ago, and I've been thinking about what would Happen if he did end up leaving instead of being Santa. So, I managed to write this out, and hopefully can get the second chapter (with an older Arthur) by the end of the month. 
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoy!

Arthur never thought that they’d ever miss a child, and if they did, that no one would  _ do _ anything about it! 

Okay, while Grandsanta did do something about it, it was for pride and proving Steve wrong. It wasn’t for Gwen. It wasn’t for the magic. It was all for  _ proving Steve wrong. _

“Can I burn this?” Bryony asked, holding up Gwen’s letter with the drawing pinned to it. 

“Sure. There’s millions like it.” Arthur said, watching it smolder as the elf put it on the coals they found. 

Arthur thought about Gwen. Gwen, who still thought about the magic of the holiday, that Arthur still holds so dear to himself. That got shattered in a single morning. 

Brynony’s HOHO started vibrating, and when the call was answered, Steve’s face filled the screen. 

“Sir?” Brynony asked, showing Steve the sky and handing the HOHO to Arthur. “It’s your brother.” 

“Arthur! Where are you, dear?” Arthur could hear his mum in the background, with Steve’s eyeroll to accompany it. 

“The HOHO’s locator is in Cuba, so that’s where you are?” Steve asked, with Mum and Dad shoving into the frame. 

“It seems so.” Arthur said solemnly, gaining concerned looks from his parents. 

“Arthur, you should have listened to Steven about the girl!” Malcolm said, trying to ease Arthur back into the bright young man he was. 

“Well I didn’t and we were almost there! And you did say that the S-1 couldn’t go out, yet I can see you’re in it and not home!” Arthur said, desperation bleeding into his voice, “I just wanted every child to get what they wanted, but noooo. That was too much, wasn’t it!” 

He stood up, looking down into the HOHO and not noticing the concerned looks shot between Grandsanta and Brynony. 

“Just asking for us to go back and complete the drop was  _ too much _ , apparently! When you couldn’t even think about what it would be like for Gwen, not getting a present at  _ all _ from Santa! You can’t even remember what it’s  _ like  _ being a kid, can you, Steve?” 

No one responded from the call, Arthur’s parents and older brother staring at the young Claus after his outburst. 

Only the lap of the waves supplied noise, with all the Clauses (and elf) silent. The pink letter was gone by the time Arthur looked down to the small coal fire, giving Steve time to recover from the accusation. 

“Well, dear. We’ve just left home, so we’ll be there soon.” Margaret said, always the one to calm her youngest after a tantrum. 

“So you can get Grandsanta and Bryony. Now you don’t need to care or worry about me anymore. I was just an elf, after all, right?”

He handed back the HOHO, seeing all the faces of his family, with the same expression of surprise. 

"Don't try to follow me, Steve. I know you’ll try.” Arthur said, far away enough that Steve thought he’d imagined it. 

The rest of the Clauses were shocked, enough that watching the youngest one leave didn’t get them moving. 

“Arthur!” Steve was the one to cry out for him, getting him to stop, “I will find you. You can’t stop me.” 

“I know. But I can try.” 


	2. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even if they’ve both been begging to even hear about his family. 
> 
> “Hey, Dan. My mum just called and -” 
> 
> “And you answered it?” Daniel looked up from his phone, with an incredulous look on his face. 
> 
> “What? Of course I did. It’s my mum.” Arthur said plainly, plopping onto the couch next to Daniel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it wasn't exactly the vibe I was going for, and I also Really Really wanted this out during December, but it's early January, So I suppose it works. I wanted Arthur to actually talk to Steve, but I also really like the small intro, so I'll probably end up writing more in this universe. 
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoy!

Arthur left his study, holding his phone close to his chest. It was hard, really hard hearing his mother’s voice after four years. Though thinking about  _ seeing _ her again, that’s a whole other story. 

Especially if she wants to bring Dad, Grandsanta  _ and _ Steve. There weren't exactly kind words spoken between the two brothers the last time they saw each other, in fact Arthur couldn’t remember anything Steve said. 

But that was a bridge Arthur needed to cross with Daniel. Especially with Daniel, since Emmy’s just started with speech therapy, Arthur isn’t sure bringing four brand new people into the house is a good idea. 

Even if they’ve both been begging to even  _ hear _ about his family. 

“Hey, Dan. My mum just called and -” 

“And you answered it?” Daniel looked up from his phone, with an incredulous look on his face. 

“What? Of course I did. It’s my mum.” Arthur said plainly, plopping onto the couch next to Daniel. 

“I thought you didn’t talk to your family anymore. That’s what you said.”

“You know I send my mum letters, though, well, now she wants to bring our family over here.” 

“Well, what’d you say?” 

“I told her I’d talk to you,” Arthur said, moving to settle his head in Daniel’s lap. “I’ve got a couple days to get back to her, and I’m not sure what to do. I haven’t talked to Steve since the night I ran away.” 

“Well, he was being a dick to you.” Daniel snorted.

Arthur shot up, giving Daniel a baffled look, followed by an eyeroll. He laid back down in his husband's lap, playfully glaring at Daniel. 

“He is  _ not _ one, and if they come over, you  _ cannot _ say that to his face.” Arthur muttered, jabbing at Daniel’s sides. 

“He  _ is _ one, if you had to run away and keep moving for  _ two years _ before ya found us.” He ran his fingers through Arthur’s hair. Arthur closed his eyes at the feeling, though a frown still graced his face. 

A beat passed, with Arthur mulling over what his mother suggested. 

“Hey, love. Tell me, do you want them to come? They don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Daniel asked seriously. 

Arthur shook his head, “No, I do want to see them. It’s just, I don’t want it to be weird.” 

“Well it’s gonna be. You haven’t seen them for four years.” 

“I’m just worried that they’ll be all prissy about us.” 

“You always worry.”

“It’s the only thing I’m good at!”

\--- 

Arthur was finishing spreading out the table cloth on the dining table when the doorbell rang, springing him into action. 

“Coming!” He called, though before he could even reach the stairs to the door, he heard the smooth “Hello, there.” of his husband. 

“Hello, dear. You must be Daniel?” Arthur heard his mother ask, and the settling of suitcases. “I’ve heard much about you, all very good.” He can hear the smile in her voice. 

Arthur slid on the hardwood, catching himself on the banister above the doorway. Seeing Steve again, and Grandsanta, shifted something in Arthur. He didn’t realize he actually  _ missed _ them. 

“Hey.” Arthur called down, seeing everyone’s heads swivel up. 

“Hello dear. It is so good to see you." Margeret said, smiling at her youngest son. 

"Yeah, it's good to see you too." Arthur said, ducking his head down, embarrassment suddenly flooding him about what he’d done. 

Daniel, lovely Daniel, saved the day by clapping for attention and tugging Margaret's suitcases closer. "We've got a guest room upstairs, and spare beds downstairs." 

Arthur got shaken out of his daze by a small tug at his pants leg. He looked down to.see little Emily at his legs, probably woken up from the noise. 

"Hey, Emmy," Arthur comforted, kneeling down and picking up the five year old, "You wanna meet my family?" Vigorous head nodding got Arthur’s walrus laugh (Daniel’s words) to carry to the door. 

“I missed you, laddie.” Grandsanta said, all of them stopping to bask in the laugh that hasn’t been heard by the Clauses in four years. 

Arthur quieted, and deposited Emily in Daniel’s arms to scoop his brother and grandfather into a hug. 

“I missed you too,” Arthur said, releasing them and  _ almost _ seeing tears in their eyes, “I hope you’ve been a good Santa, eh, Steve?” 

“No one missed, Little brother,” Steve said, totally not wiping away tears, “We have a lot to talk about.” 

Arthur knew. He was worried that Steve would say that. 

“Papa says you're a ‘ick!” Emmy shouted at Steve, getting a yelp from Arthur and a loud laugh from Daniel.

  
“You said that around her!?” Arthur couldn’t believe it. His husband was a child. 


End file.
